“You don’t have to be perfect, but you can’t do any of the important things badly. My advice? Believe in yourself. Becoming a great putter isn’t easy, but it’s possible (Phil Mickelson, at age 48, is enjoying the finest putting season in his career). Maintain a good, hardworking attitude…” That’s from "Dave Pelz’s 10 truths about putting" at golf.com.Most read putting tipThe golf editors advise us, “This was our most-read putting tip of 2018”. Shouldn’t that be tips? Nevertheless the various points made by Dave Pelz make interesting reading and the most striking was, “Face angle is even more important than stroke path.And not insignificantly — it’s six times more important. Even if your path is good, unduly opening or closing the face at impact spells doom."

Worth repeatingPutts left short never go in.“When you miss, your putts should end up 17 inches past the hole. If you roll them faster, you’ll suffer more lip-outs. Roll them slower and the ball will be knocked off line by imperfections (footprints, pitch marks, etc.) in the green."

I’ve also like the idea that, “your putts should end up 17 inches past the hole,” however it does require a slightly aggressive mind set which is hard to maintain on especially fast greens and you have frequently found yourself almost 17 feet past.No easy answer and yet"Putting is a learned skillHaving the “touch” in your mind’s eye to know how firmly to stroke a putt (so its speed matches the break), and then also having the “feel” in your body to execute that touch is gained only through experience and solid practice.

And yet how do you explain kids who’ve only just started playing golf become great putters but in most cases it only lasts a few years until the being to feel the fear of missing?”Grooving it"Proper putt speed comes from proper rhythm.At our schools, we incorporate rhythm into pre-putt rituals, then carry that same rhythm through the stroke. Rhythm is the harbinger of consistency. You’ve got to find your own, and groove it.”

For those of us unable to attend Dave’s school we could treat our self to, or perhaps ask for a Christmas gift, a metronome app which you allows you try various beats and find one that best for you."

HAVE A HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON

Link to Dave PelzQuote of the Day“If you worry about the ones you missed, you are going to keep missing them.” – Walter Hagen